The Lantern's Ember

by Colleen Houck

  He howled each time she moved it, but it was plain to see the potion worked. Finney’s skin healed before their eyes. When she was finished, he said, “Thanks, Em. That’s a handy one. Glad you saved it for me.” Jack glowered a little. He was happy to see Ember, but he didn’t at all like the way Finney gave her a nickname, or how he was looking at her all moony-eyed, or how his breathing fogged his glasses as she leaned over him.

  “I’m so happy you’re here!” she said, and hugged Finney gently, careful not to cause him more hurt.

  “Me too. This place is amazing!” Finney said. “Can we meet the captain? How does the ship stay aloft? Do you think you could get me in to see the engines?”

  “This is what he’s been like the entire time,” Jack said. “Nonstop questions. How do you stand it?”

  Ember shrugged. “Finney’s brilliant. Talking excessively is how he thinks things through. Most of the time you don’t need to even listen.” She winked at Finney and his entire face turned as red as a beet.

  “But, Ember,” Finney began, “why are you here? Were you abducted? Did that vampire put you under his thrall?”

  “How did you know there was a vampire?” she asked, then looked at Jack. “Oh, you told him.”

  “Yes, I told him. Finney was the only way I could track you. You should have told me you were coming here.”

  “If I had, you wouldn’t have let me leave. And I…I had to come here, Jack. You don’t understand. Since I’ve been here I’ve felt right. Like this is where I belong. Like I’m moving toward something important. I’ve never been so sure of anything.”

  Except that now, staring at Jack, Ember realized she had been sure of something else in her life: Jack. She gave him a drunken sort of smile. It was ever so nice having Jack near her again.

  Jack ruffled his hair worriedly. He didn’t understand why she’d be drawn to the Otherworld, but he could see that she was, as surely as she’d been drawn to his crossroad. He’d hoped it was that she’d felt a connection to him, but maybe it was more complicated than that. “But it’s dangerous for you here in the Otherworld, Ember. Surely you’ve seen that by now. There are all kinds of terrible creatures who live in this place. Probably even on this ship.”

  “I know. I’ve met several of them. But there are many nice people here too, and there’s something here, something that calls to me. Oh, Finney, wait until you meet Delia, the captain. She’s a bit intimidating, I’ll admit, but I’m sure you’ll hit it off. Then there’s Frank. He was, um, reassembled, so to speak, but he’s absolutely lovely once you get past the mismatched limbs.”

  “Mismatched limbs?” Finney said, his eyes wide as he wiped water from the lenses and pushed his normal spectacles over the bridge of his nose. “Can we meet him?”

  “Of course. Why don’t we—”

  “No,” Jack said, drawing his legs up and wrapping his arms around them. “Absolutely not. No one is going to meet anyone. We’re getting out of here, all three of us.”

  “And how do you propose we do that?” Ember asked, her brow furrowing. “We’re sky high over an ocean filled with monsters, and I’m assuming you can’t fog us out of here; otherwise Finney wouldn’t have been tied to a rope.”

  Jack bit his lip and glared at Ember. She was right, of course. But he didn’t like that she was right. Instead of answering her question, he posed one of his own. “And how is it that you’ve remained hidden from the masses?” he asked grumpily. As he said it, he realized something was wrong with her aura. Jack looked beneath Ember’s skin. His eyes gleamed silver as he looked her over from top to bottom. Her aura was fully intact, but it was terribly dim. He’d wring the vampire’s neck if she was permanently damaged. Jack blinked twice, and his eyesight went back to normal. “Has the bloodsucker been drinking from you daily?”

  The way he said it made Ember feel guilty, like she’d been purposely walking around in front of the window wearing only her chemise. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she said, “but Dev only did that the once. There wasn’t a choice at the time.”

  “Ha! I’ll bet there wasn’t. So your debonair vampire—Dev, is it? What’s his plan, then? Is he going to sell you at auction? Take you directly to the Lord of the Otherworld? Hook you up to a machine and drain you of all your light?”

  Ember swallowed. “No,” she replied, flustered at his questioning tone. “Dev’s been the perfect gentleman. He’s taking me on a tour of the Otherworld. We’re to have an audience with the high witch herself. But first, we’re meeting an inventor. Oh, I’m so glad you’re here, Finney. You’ll be able to explain all his creations!”

  “The high witch?” Jack shook his head. “I knew you were stubborn, Ember, and prone to act before thinking. Until now, I’d chalked it up to youthful mettle. But this whole adventure has been just plain senseless. Why didn’t you just talk to me about this feeling you had? Instead, you’ve endangered yourself, probably gotten me an extra fifty years added to my contract, and you’ve put Finney in harm’s way.” Jack ran his hands down his sodden vest and pulled out one of his watches. “And what’s worse, my human-made watch has stopped working.”

  “I don’t care about your bleeding pocket watch. Besides, bringing Finney along was entirely your idea,” Ember spat. Angrily, she unpinned her hat, since it was barely hanging on her head, and tossed it aside before storming into her room and slamming the door.

  Finney took Jack’s watch, dried it off, and held it up to his ear. “I can probably fix this for you,” he said. “You’re going to have to patch things up with Ember on your own, though. In my experience, Ember just wants a bloke to believe in her. I think if you’d given her any indication that you were going to help her see the Otherworld at some point, in a more careful and proper sort of way, she would have waited for you. I’ve found her to be a very loyal friend. One worth keeping, and one worth being honest with.”

  Jack mumbled something indiscernible, stood up, and tossed off his greatcoat. “Do you have any extra clothing in your bag?” he asked Finney.

  “Nothing dry.”

  “I can fix that. Hand over what you want to wear.”

  Finney did and Jack laid out the sodden clothing including his own greatcoat, boots, vest, and shirt, over the back of the couch. He summoned the pumpkin and turned its light on the fabric, and the heat from its gaze dried the clothes in an instant. While Finney changed in the washroom, Jack allowed his light to envelop him and removed the rest of his clothes.

  His body and hair dried quickly. With his light still shining, he donned his newly dried pants and then spun when he heard a sound. Ember stood in her open door, staring at him. She’d changed into her usual attire: a pair of leggings, a corset, a comfortable blouse, short skirt, boots, and her gun holsters, weapons included. He preferred Ember dressed this way. It was more her than the showy, expensive gown she’d been wearing before.

  When she didn’t move, Jack realized he was staring at her and that he was barely clothed, with his unbuttoned trousers slowly sliding down his hips. Irritated, he yanked them up and picked up his now-dry shirt. It wasn’t like she could see him. Most people were so blinded by his light, they couldn’t even keep their eyes on it, let alone peer through its depths to find the man within.

  What he didn’t realize was that Ember had a very fine view of Jack. She’d never seen a man in such a state of undress before, and she was fascinated with the way the light kissed his skin. There were all sorts of interesting little dips and hollows on his body, some shadowed and some gleaming. The trousers were loose at his waist but hugged the muscles of his thighs. She swallowed as she watched the ridges of his abdomen disappear while he buttoned his shirt, and then her eyes fixed on his long fingers.

  It wasn’t until Finney emerged from the washroom that Ember stirred. She busied herself examining her weapons. By then, Jack was buttoning his vest. “Thanks for that, Jack,” Finney said. “It feels much better to be out o
f those wet clothes.”

  “Any time,” Jack replied, dimming his light to a comfortable level. As he perched on the settee to pull on his boots, he tilted his head toward the broken window and the storm outside. “Going to fix that, Ember?” he asked.

  “Fix what?” She frowned. “Do you mean the glass?”

  “Of course I mean the glass. What else is in here that needs fixing?”

  Ember put her hands on her hips. “I can think of a lantern that could use a bit of a tweak,” she replied.

  Jack smiled. “I’d like to see you give that a try.”

  Her eyes narrowed, and Ember was about to say something to put him in his place when Finney said, “She can do that? Fix windows and the like?”

  “Of course.”

  “But I don’t know how,” Ember said. “Dev was going to teach me, but there hasn’t been much time.”

  Jack raised an eyebrow and Ember did not like the places she thought his mind was going. She stiffened her back and lifted her chin, though she was too short to make the effect really sink in.

  Sighing, Jack picked up a piece of glass and placed it in her hand. Carefully, he folded her fingers over it. “Now fill it with witchlight and tell it what to do.”

  “Just tell it? Like it’s a dog?”

  “Yes. If that helps you picture it.”

  “Fine.” Ember closed her eyes and felt the bit of glass pinch her palm. She summoned the power, trying to mimic what she’d done before for Payne, but the tickle in her stomach felt more like a cramp. She blinked. “I don’t think I can.”

  “Are you sure he only drank from you the once?” Jack said, his face a storm cloud.

  “It’s true. Since then he gave me some tea to dampen my powers.”

  “Show me.”

  Ember found the now-cold mug of tea and brought it to Jack. He dipped his finger in and tasted it. “That angler,” he said with disgust. “This tea mutes your powers, yes, but what he didn’t tell you is that there’s a compound that also makes you a bit more susceptible to suggestion.”

  Ember stared at the tea, aghast. “Do you mean to tell me he’s poisoning me?”

  “No, love. It’s more like he wants you intoxicated. He’s got a compound in here that would incapacitate a werewolf. Luckily, your witchlight burns it off quickly.” Jack took her arm. “Think back—was there a time when he tried to seduce you or convince you to see his side of things?”

  Frightened to be so used, she thought back. “Not at all, actually. But…the tea was given to him by Payne, the tavern owner. Maybe he added something to it and Dev was entirely unaware,” she said, and then grimaced, wondering if it was the tea making her say that.

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Never you mind. We’ll get to the bottom of it. Now, as for this tea”—Jack took the mug to the washroom and poured it down the basin, pulling the cord to flush it away—“you’re no longer to drink it. As long as you’re near me, I can hide your witchlight. Any excess power will be absorbed into my pumpkin.”

  “But what happens if you leave?”

  Jack took hold of her shoulders and brought his face down to hers until their noses nearly touched. “I will never leave your side. And you,” he added, shaking her a tiny bit, “will never leave mine. Now let’s go.”

  “But, Jack,” she said as he tugged her toward the door.

  “Not now.”

  “Jack,” Ember said again.

  “Later, Ember.”

  He reached the door and tugged. It wouldn’t budge.

  “That’s what I was trying to tell you. Dev locked me in.” Ember frowned. “He should have been back by now.”

  Jack spun around. “The vampire locked you in here?”

  “He said he was only trying to keep me safe.” The words sounded wrong even as Ember said them.

  “So I keep hearing.”

  Jack lifted his hand and light shot from it into the metal frame of the door. The thin seal around it ignited, and the area where the lock was dissolved. He kicked open the creaking door so he could keep his hand around Ember’s arm. “Finney?”

  “Here, Jack.”

  “Come along, and bring those fancy goggles of yours.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  They marched up the stairs, and Ember couldn’t help but note the differences between Dev and Jack.

  Had she been so wrong about the vampire? He’d been cordial, gentlemanly, regarding her. He hadn’t lied; his blood oath confirmed it. Dev seemed to be a man bent on accommodating her. Jack, on the other hand, had a temper as hot as a forge. When he wanted to say something, he didn’t try to charm or beguile her. He was abrupt and to the point. Much like a hammer. Yes, he might back her up against a wall, but she wouldn’t hesitate to push him right back. The possibilities were interesting.

  When it came to Dev, Ember was not so bold. She might get burned by being close to Jack, but such a thing was infinitely more exciting than being shown off on a man’s arm, as if she were merely a fashionable accessory without a thought in her head.

  As they stepped out onto the main deck, all those thoughts fled, and she barely noticed her hard-eyed vampire or her lantern, radiating power. It was the terror above them that caught her eye.

  Ember didn’t know what she was looking at, not at first. She knew it felt dangerous. Finney, standing close by, seemingly oblivious to the danger, twisted the different lenses on his spectacles, quite enjoying the sight above and around him. Ember was certain she heard him mumble words like “beautiful” and “amazing.”

  Spectral shapes were swirling in the air above her. They were wispy and loosely defined, until a moment after Ember stepped on the main deck. Once she looked up, they began to coalesce and take form.

  One circled overhead, lightning sparkling and crackling inside its mass. Then a ghostly sort of light twisted inside it, elongating until it became a pair of arms, legs, a face, piercing eyes, and streaming hair. The vaporous entity, now recognizable as a woman with the tatters of a dress floating around her, stretched out clawed hands and shot toward Ember, her scream shattering the night air.

  Jack leapt into its path, holding his pumpkin high. The smiling orb blasted the ghost with its light and it burst apart into floating pieces of phantom energy. Before Ember could feel relieved, the pieces started to merge again, much like water droplets on a window.

  “You idiot!” Jack shouted at Dev as he pulled Ember close to his body, using his light to dispel ghost after ghost. Ember wrapped her arms around Jack’s waist and buried her head in his chest. “You brought a witch into a ghost storm?”

  Dev didn’t like the way the lantern clutched Ember or how comfortable she looked in his arms. He was also extremely irritated that the secret that Ember was a witch was now out to Delia’s crew. “I thought I told you to stay below!” Dev bellowed in Ember’s general direction. “How did the two of you get aboard anyway?” Understanding lit the vampire’s face. “Ah, you were on the banshee we shot down. How interesting that you survived.”

  “Yes. Interesting,” Jack spat. “Thanks for that, by the way. Now turn this blasted ship around and get us out of this storm!”

  “I’ll thank you not to tell me how to run my ship!” Delia yelled as she slashed at a materializing ghost with a gleaming sword and shot another with a sort of electric gun. “Dev assured me that his little witch’s power was dimmed to the point of being nonexistent. We came through the storm on purpose.”

  “On purpose? On purpose?” Jack hollered above the din.

  More and more spirits were taking form the longer that Ember was on deck. Dev, too, began to fight them off, using his cane, which now glowed on each end. He whirled it overhead and brought it down hard, the light on the end sliced right through a ghost. But like the others, the ghost just began to rematerialize.

  “Did you know it would be this bad?” Dev shouted to his sister.

  “I’v
e never seen it like this before!” she replied. “Usually, when we dim the power, they can’t take corporeal form!”

  Dev cursed under his breath. He knew Ember was different, more powerful than any witch he’d ever come across, but this?

  Watching the blue light that exploded from Delia’s barrel, Ember realized she was cowering instead of helping them fight, which was decidedly unlike her. She attributed her momentary lack of mental clarity to the disturbingly nice feeling of being pressed against Jack’s chest, and his arm holding her tight against him. The subtle scent of him—woodsmoke, fall leaves, and spice—made her think of home. Sighing deeply, she pushed against Jack’s chest determined to assist the others, but he held her in an iron grip.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Jack warned, his moonlight hair flopping over one eye.

  “I’m helping, Jack, whether you like it or not. I have my pistols, and they’re already loaded with spells.” When she saw the worry in his eyes, she added, “I’ll stay close, I promise.”

  After a beat, he nodded. “They’re attracted to your witchlight. It draws them in.” Jack told his pumpkin to stay and protect Finney and Ember.

  “What are you going to do?” Ember asked, suddenly nervous about Jack leaving her side.

  “I’m going to force them to turn this ship around. If they don’t, this ghost storm is likely to swallow us up.”

  Jack seemed almost hesitant to leave them, even after he declared his intentions. He glanced at Finney and nodded; his eyes softened and turned molten when they touched on Ember. His hand caught hers and he squeezed it lightly, and then he was gone, heading to the stern of the ship where Dev and the captain had disappeared to a moment before.

  The pumpkin did what it was supposed to, turning this way and that, attacking ghosts as quickly as it could spin. Finney snapped to attention and suggested Ember try the freezing spell and then the disrupted-vision spell. He loaded her second pistol while she tried the first two spells. Closing one eye, she carefully aimed at a circling ghost and fired.

  Unfortunately, the freezing spell didn’t affect the entity much. It slowed, splintered, and then quickly knit back together. Disrupting its vision didn’t stop it either. As Ember wondered which spell to try next, a ghost chasing a crewman through the rigging stopped and turned its sights on the two of them. It opened its mouth and screamed, barreling toward them.